We are back!

A lot has changed since last we blogged. I am now officially old (70), retired, and living in a beach house with my bloke—yes, the decent bloke I met online. And there is COVID. And a new grandson. And, and … so much to tell! 

I’m rather chuffed that I have made it to 70 and I want to make the most of the time I have left. I intend to have fun, interesting and fulfilling times BUT this will be despite the wonky knee, the arthritis, and the necessity of an afternoon power nap! 

Restarting blogging sounds relatively effortless: write a blog and post it like we used to do. No, no, no! First, we had to update our site and, of course, there had been updates to the blogging platform in our 3-year absence. I had completely forgotten the techno bits (widgets and gadget codes and that sort of thing). Fortunately, Naz is far more switched on in this area. 

But when you start making changes, you realise just how many need to be made. So we updated our About us and then realised that our photos were seriously outdated. We tried snapping photos of us together but one of us always looked a bit odd (read far too old). I want to look nice old not grotesque old. We hatched a plan to visit our former photographer, my daughter-in-law Jodi. Thanks Jodi for the photo shoot—we're blogging about our fun day posing!

And then we wanted to make sure you can easily subscribe to our blogs and that took time, especially as we tended to get side-tracked updating each other about what was happening in our lives, sharing random theories, and indulging in cake with our coffee. 

Plus we deliberated about what to write about and wondered whether we should podcast. We decided that we would begin by writing about what crops up in our lives. You know, things like finding a good hairdresser, our purpose in life, COVID etiquette, sex.  

Mmmm not sure if I’m bold enough to write about sex, but there I was reading about sexologist and author Chantelle Otten and I came to these words: ‘Her client case studies include stories of sexual pain and self-esteem, erectile dysfunction, and how to have sex in your 60s’. What!? You mean I happily had sex last decade not knowing there was a special way for people in their 60s to do it. Astonishing. Though now that I’m 70 … 

Being 70 does seem different from that betwixt and between stage of life in my 60s. In some ways it is a relief to be officially old. Life can still be full but perhaps not as crowded. Closing my editing business was hard but right: hard because it was a letting go, right because it has freed up my time. Of course, it's not all lolling around reading books. Curved balls continue to lob my way unexpectedly, but I feel I’m starting to find a new rhythm—and I like it. I’m looking forward to sharing about navigating these unchartered waters.

Fiz 

Look out for Naz's post in a couple of days!

Fiz & Naz: Par 3

Fiz:  Thwack! How good it was to finally connect my golf club with the ball and see it soar towards the green—not far, but a start in the right direction. I was mainly crap but occasionally I did something right and I experienced the satisfaction you golfers must feel.

Hell's Gates

It was a slow start—a very slow start—again. That seems to be the Fiz and Naz signature. For all the planning we do, things just seem to go askew challenging our resourcefulness and patience.

It was 3 pm and hot. We had hoped for cooling breezes to lessen our pain during the walk—Noosa to Sunshine Beach through the National Park. The breezes had so far ignored us.

Our plan was to park at the Noosa entrance to the National Park (yeah right); walk from Noosa to Sunshine Beach and return. We had considered taking two cars and leaving one at Sunshine and one at Noosa; however, we love to chat and the drive was an opportunity to plot and plan and, besides, this trek was more a reconnaissance one; to get our bearings for the longer walk we have scheduled for the future.

Before coffee ...

Before coffee there was nothing? Oh yeah, I could imagine the pelican in front of me saying, ‘you have got to be kidding. Those hipsters need to get out more. The message on the takeaway cup, lying discarded at the river’s edge, seemed laughable amongst the natural beauty of my surroundings. I smiled at the pelicans grooming themselves and then frowned as I picked up the cup to place in a bin only metres away (Grrrrrrrrr).

number 1147H

The acupuncturist practised in Uccle at number 1147H. Wherever that was! I had a vague idea—introduced by Google maps with options en route: walk, bus, car—but nothing was familiar. I knew it was through the forest—visions of Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel—a place of fairy tales.  I didn’t want to venture into the forest … well not today anyway.  I would be travelling at dusk; the forest dark. I wondered what tales this forest held—what secrets it kept.

duck

One, two, three, four; duck, duck; give me ten, now a six, ten uppercuts, another ten—repeat for fifty minutes. 

It began with an easy warm up. Pushups—on your knees beginners; the more advanced—on your toes. You can guess which ones sold me—knees all the way.  I pushed through, avoiding nose to floor dives, my determination kicking in, assisted by ugly (had to be but I couldn’t tell) face contortions to ease the pain. There was no backing off or bombing out.

The inners were way too small, so up a size, then on with the

It's a date!

I have gone on a dating site!! I was reluctant after a brief experience a couple of years ago on eharmony—felt as though I was auctioning myself off. Not nice.

But my daughter kept suggesting it and Naz totally convinced me that it was the thing to do. Anyway, I am sharing this bold move (yes, it was for me) because I was supposed to blog about Sunday arvo at The Shared in Yandina and didn’t get around to it because Elite Singles takes time. Yes, it does sound a bit uppity but Naz had done the research and concluded that it is one of the better sites. And she knew I wouldn’t join unless she sat down beside me while I ticked boxes, and typed in what my passions were, what I was most grateful for, and uploaded photos. Naz was adamant not just the profile photo, but to upload others too. Marketing one’s self is a pain.   

My profile photo

drag?

Acting on a heads up from a friend, Kate, a regular at The Shared, Fiz and I headed out to Yandina.

Hanging at TheShared is always a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We’ve been before— live music by local musos. You know how much Fiz and I love kicking back, immersed in music and conversation while watching the passing parade. And, an opportunity to meet some nice blokes couldn’t be passed up either.

The lack of cars and availability of car parks surprised us as we drove into Yandina. It was early, only just three thirty so my expectation of a large crowd was probably unrealistic.  Undeterred we walked up and in. What the?

chill time

One of our favourites

It’s nice to have a day with no timetable. No hurrying from here to there.  No deadlines or appointments.  No rush as I head out the door at the last minute, backing out of the garage like a madwoman and tearing up the street cursing the seat belt alarm for its incessant nagging while I fumble, one handed, to get the belt fastened.  As if a ten second delay while I buckle up would make any difference! 

Yep—today was different.  It was laid back and dreamy.  So laid back I thought I could sleep this Sunday away.  Fiz and I had talked about heading to The Caf Coolum late afternoon. Live music was on offer and the relaxed vibe, seated alfresco, watching the world go by was inviting.  And, who knows who might drop by!

Temporarily disabled

How to write about being temporarily disabled?

Day 1 at Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club

Poseur

It was stunning! All the more because it was unexpected: the mountain peaks majestic in a sea of clouds. A white landscape at the Sunshine Coast is a rarity and we were lucky enough to have the dramatic beauty of it laid out before us. Wow!

Visibility had been poor driving up to Mapleton and through Montville, and it seemed ridiculous that Naz and I had chosen to go to Maleny for our BOLD playtime. It had sounded a good idea the night before … there was the upgraded Mary Cairncross Park (we were thinking lunch at the new café there) and a yourtown prize home to check out, plus the Maleny vibe. We were both in need of an uplift, and a trip to the hinterland seemed just the thing.

The little red trolley

Naz: 

Even educational books!

It’s taken me a while to write this blog. Life has been busy—work and study and kinesiology practise and family things and dare I say tiredness. I’ve been a bit off lately. I just don’t have my usual zing but after a trip to the naturopath and chiro and then a bit of self-diagnosis and supplement prescribing I’m sure I’ll be back playing at full throttle. I have to be to keep up with Fiz!

Yandina markets, Saturday morning, were worth the early start. It was a beautiful day—perfect for outdoor shopping.